NAIROBI, Aug 15 (NNN-KBC) — Kenya and the Islamic Republic of Iran have signed a total of eight Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) following the conclusion of a two-day forum that was held in Nairobi.
The 7th Session of the Kenya-Iran Joint Commission for Cooperation, officiated by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and the Minister of Agriculture of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr. Gholamneza Nouri, focused on strengthening bilateral relations and shared commitments and charting a clear path for deeper cooperation across diverse sectors.
Mudavadi and Nouri on Wednesday co-chaired the Ministerial Segment of the Kenya–Iran Joint Cooperation Commission, a platform viewed by the two countries as vital in advancing strategic partnerships and expanding bilateral engagement.
“Our deliberations culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding spanning key areas such as health, electricity and renewable energy, housing, and urban development, among other priority sectors,” remarked Mudavadi who also serves as Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs.
“We also issued a Joint Communiqué capturing the shared commitments and new pathways of collaboration agreed upon during the session.”
While officially opening the session last Tuesday, the Prime CS noted that Iran remains a strategic partner and a key market for Kenyan tea with exports having grown from 3.2 metric tons in 2020 to a record 13 metric tons in 2024.
“We are hopeful that the lifting of the current ban will pave the way for the resumption, and expansion, of Kenyan tea exports to Iran, bringing mutual economic benefit to both our peoples,” said Mudavadi.
On his part, Dr. Nouri said the focal points of the MoUs signed between the two countries are; leveraging private-sector partnerships to unlock trade and investment potential; and strengthen monitoring mechanisms to track deliverables.
The 8th Session of the Joint Commission for Cooperation will be held in Tehran in 2027.
Kenya and Iran enjoy longstanding diplomatic ties anchored on mutual respect, shared interests, and fruitful cooperation across multiple sectors. — NNN-KBC
